Leisure time is something we treasure and before our children came along, we managed to occupy ourselves in many ways. Being a Dad means priorities need to change and while it is important for our own personal well being, we now have to manage that time better in order to enjoy it with our little people as they need it as much as us! The great thing to understand is that children are simply pleased. Buying toys and computer games to play with them is not what is about. These pleasures exist at our doorsteps and…they don’t cost anything!

Not only is our wonderful environment free to enjoy, but spending hours building dams to make puddles at the beach, carting stones to build stepping blocks across the stream, watching little creatures carry their food to their awaiting families, collecting shells and sticks on the beaches are all things to do that will while away the hours and give your family valuable learning and down time. But, the best part is, you get to hang out together!!!

Of course if the great outdoors is a bit far there are still opportunities to spend time near and around home creating activities that are in and around the back yard, and down the street. For instance, try balancing along the tall, high fences when walking to the shop for an ice cream, jumping over and in the puddles in the drive way on the way to get the mail, balancing along the gutter and the cracks in the footpath and playing ball games after dinner.

Holidays are when families do have a little more time and the evenings are longer, so maybe try eating dinner early and then plan an after dinner walk to the park. On the way, talk about things you find. For instance, if someone finds a spider’s web, take time to find where the spider is hiding. Follow the ant trail and see where it leads to, and jump in the puddles…its ok to get wet and dirty. Laugh together and be a child yourself. Times like these are the times your children will look back on and talk about forever. You are creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Many children don’t have these experiences very often because it is not as safe to play alone outside and down time is spent on the computer or in front of TV. However, when you hanging out together and have more time to relax, there are adventures waiting on every corner! The environment provides the perfect platform for spontaneous play. It is all about expressing and experiencing. For example, playing nurses, playing in a hut built together from a large cardboard box, playing cars on the pathways, kicking leaves, making tea parties from mud pies, are all play experiences that mirror life.

Of course, there will be the odd wet day to fill. Maybe gather together all the things you have collected on a family outing, like stones, twigs, leaves etc and make a collage called “our trip to Spencer Park”. Or make a booklet, print off some of the photos and together write about what was happening and how much fun you had. Decorate it with the things you have collected.

Here are some more ideas:
• Dig and plant a vegetable garden together. Count the worms you find and talk about why they are so important to the soil.

• Count the seeds as you plant them, then tender the garden as part of your routine

• On a walk, look for different types of bark on the trees. Talk about their texture – sharp, flat, bumpy, prickly etc

• Collect stones and paint them with bright colours. Add craft glue to the paint and sprinkle glitter over the stones once painted. These can become fairy or magic stones and can be placed in your vege garden

• Encourage your children to help you build a challenge course in the back yard out of things you find in the garage. Create activities to move over, under, around, pull along and step over. Try doing it backwards sideways and blindfold (as long as it’s not too high and scary!!!)

• Lie down on the grass and watch the clouds. Find pictures in the clouds and talk about them

• On a rainy day, play chasing games with the drips down the window

• Make stilts out of tins (with the lid cut off – golden syrup tins are best) and a piece of string to hold onto

The most precious gift you can give your child is time, and when in routine, rushing out the door to go to work or quickly dropping your child at preschool, the most valuable prize of all is not always available.

Play is the best medium for learning. Playing with you, hearing your chatter about things you are doing helps children learn new language spontaneously. It then becomes easier for children to associate the language with the experience and before you know it, a new skill and language has been added to their repertoire.

It’s also a great time to build self esteem and importance. Time out is when catching up on those little jobs that don’t seem to get done during the week happen. Include the family when you need to do these chores. For instance give children the tools to carry, or a paint brush and bucket of water to paint the house, while you do the real thing with the paint.

Your children will feel so special and valued, just doing things you are doing and hanging with you! Enjoy the holidays together as a family!

Written by Gill Connell – child development consultant, teacher and co-author of Moving to Learn – Crowe/Connell. www.movingsmart.co.nz and www.movingtolearn.com.

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